Reduced complexity in uplink receive beamformer calculations

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for calculating and using uplink receive beamformers in wireless devices. In a demodulation reference signal (DMRS)-based beamformer calculation scheme, the computational complexity might be overwhelmingly high if a unique beamformer is calculated for each and every single resource element (RE). There may be combinations via frequency, time, or other means across resource block groups (RBGs) to consolidate the number of beamformers to be calculated.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory coupled with the one or more processors, the memory storing executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to effectuate operations comprising:
 receiving a demodulation reference signal (DMRS); 
 determining a DMRS anchor, wherein the DMRS anchor comprises a resource element; 
 determining a channel estimate at the DMRS anchor based on the DMRS for user equipments (UEs) scheduled in that resource block group (RBG); 
 based on the channel estimate, forming a channel matrix; 
 determining a beamformer matrix of the DMRS anchor based on the channel matrix; 
 associating the DMRS anchor with an influence region, wherein the influence region comprises a plurality of resource elements; and 
 assigning the beamformer matrix of the DRMS anchor to the influence region. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising determining port reduction based on the assigned beamformer matrix of the influence region. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the channel estimate is performed in a radio unit. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the DMRS anchor is based on channel coherence between DMRS resource elements. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the DMRS anchor is based on an amount of UEs scheduled in the RBG. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the DMRS anchor is based on an indicated availability of computational resources of the apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a base station. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the channel matrix comprises number of receive chains divided by an amount of uplink layers. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory coupled with the one or more processors, the memory storing executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to effectuate operations comprising:
 receiving a demodulation reference signal (DMRS); 
 receiving an indication of a first DMRS anchor, wherein the first DMRS anchor comprises a first resource element; 
 receiving an indication of a second DMRS anchor, wherein the second DMRS anchor comprises a second resource element; 
 determining a channel estimate of the first DMRS anchor based on the DMRS; 
 determining a channel estimate of the second DMRS anchor based on the DMRS; 
 combining the channel estimates of the first DMRS anchor and the second DMRS anchor to create a combined DMRS anchor; 
 determining a beamformer matrix of the combined DMRS anchor based on the channel estimate; 
 associating the combined DMRS anchor with an influence region, wherein the influence region comprises a plurality of resource elements; and 
 assigning the beamformer matrix of the combined DRMS anchor to the influence region. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , the operations further comprising determining port reduction based on the assigned beamformer matrix of the influence region. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the channel estimate is performed in a radio unit. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is a base station. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 receiving a demodulation reference signal (DMRS);   determining a DMRS anchor, wherein the DMRS anchor comprises a resource element;   determining a channel estimate at the DMRS anchor based on the DMRS for user equipments (UEs) scheduled in that resource block group (RBG);   based on the channel estimate, forming a channel matrix;   determining a beamformer matrix of the DMRS anchor based on the channel matrix;   associating the DMRS anchor with an influence region, wherein the influence region comprises a plurality of resource elements; and   assigning the beamformer matrix of the DRMS anchor to the influence region.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining port reduction based on the assigned beamformer matrix of the influence region. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the channel estimate is performed in a radio unit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the DMRS anchor is based on channel coherence between DMRS resource elements. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the DMRS anchor is based on an amount of UEs scheduled in the RBG. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the DMRS anchor is based on an indicated availability of computational resources of an apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the channel matrix comprises number of receive chains divided by an amount of uplink layers.